Sally Ruth Tracy had never been more nervous than she was at this moment, she was going to see Scott for the first time since he had been convicted of the murder of Madeleine and subsequently sentenced to death.

The incredibly long list of requirements that she had to comply with, even down to what she could wear, before she would get to see Scott just brought it home to her just how brutal it must be for Scott himself.

She knew that after the visit she could, at least, return home but it would break her heart to have to walk away and leave her grandson behind, especially as she knew that it would be unlikely that she would ever be able to make another visit.

She winced a little at the slight touch of pain, dismissing it as just a bit of indigestion, seeing her grandson was more important to her than an insignificant twinge that was probably nothing.

"Mrs Tracy"

Sally looked up at the female guard who would be conducting the required searches before she could be taken to the visitation area where Scott should be waiting. After she'd been searched and her belongings placed into the secure locker that was provided for visitors she was cleared to proceed through to the visitation area.

Her first sight of Scott since his conviction left her shocked, he looked absolutely terrible. Not quite gaunt but certainly far too pale and thin for her liking.

Even in the months following his mother's death he had always been meticulous about his personal grooming and appearance, but now it was as if he no longer had any reason to care, or anyone left who'd care about him.

The look of hopeful disbelief in his eyes as he recognised her almost brought her to tears, especially as she noticed that the restraints limiting his movement hadn't been removed.

"Grandma?"

"Can they be removed?"

she asked one of the guards, indicating the restraints.

With his hands restrained as they were she was unable to give her grandson the hug that she could tell he so desperately needed, but would never request.

"Just this once, he must stay behind the table or he will be returned to his cell"

Sally just nodded in relief, at least she could hug her grandson.

Scott rubbed his wrists once the handcuffs were removed, revelling in the brief freedom from the restraints when outside of his cell.

Sally came to her grandson and collected him into her arms, giving him the momentary comfort and security that only a hug from his Grandma could provide.

She just held Scott close feeling the, almost imperceptible, shudders as he struggled to hold his emotions in check.

She knew that he would never allow himself the 'luxury' of showing his emotions when watched by strangers, even family rarely saw the depth of emotion that he was now struggling to contain, only Rebecca had ever had that 'privilege', she was the only person he'd ever allowed to see him at his most vulnerable.

Once Scott felt that he had gained enough self control he pulled back and asked her the one question that broke her heart

"Do you hate me?"

"I could never hate you"

she insisted but she could see the doubt and disbelief in his eyes.

"Why not?"

"You're my grandson, no matter what the jury think you did, I will always love you"

She could see that her words seemed to have no effect on Scott's despondent state, just what was her grandson thinking?

Did he really believe that his family could ever hate him?

"My brothers hate me"

Only the fact that she'd known Scott his entire life allowed her to interpret what he wasn't saying, the rejection by all of his brothers had left him feeling that he'd truly been abandoned by his family, just when he had needed their support the most.

"They were wrong to turn away from you"

She could see that her statement fell on deaf ears, and she understood why he felt the way that he did.

"They don't care"

The flat, emotionless way in which he spoke told Sally all that she needed to know about just how badly Scott was dealing with everything.

Nothing was more important to Scott than his family.

The family that had rejected him and, as far as he believed, now wanted him dead.

"Your father and I care, Tintin cares"

"but my brothers don't, not anymore. Even Becky doesn't want to know me anymore"

Sally knew that there was nothing that she could say to Scott to change his perception, especially when he was this depressed.

How could she get through to him, without the brothers that he'd always cared about more than himself, what did he have left to fight for anymore?

Could she, somehow, persuade him to accept any of the visitation requests that he's always refused so far.

How was she going to tell him what had happened to Rebecca and their son.

It was going to be bad enough to tell him that Rebecca had been made to feel so unwelcome, by Virgil, that she'd taken their son and left Tracy Island forever.

That they'd both been declared dead after a subsequent plane crash, which the family were still struggling to come to terms with, had the potential to break him more completely than the death penalty sentence or even his brother's rejection ever could, especially as he was still forbidden from even knowing his son's name.

The only thing that he'd been certain of was that his family would, at least, ensure the safety of his son.

No matter how hard it was going to be she knew that she had to be the one to tell Scott that his son was dead, he had to be told in person, he had to hear about the tragedy from family and not from the state.

"Let your brothers in, accept their visitation requests"

"They don't want to see me"

"Your brothers need you, almost as much as you need them"

Sally couldn't allow herself to show any response to Scott's totally dismissive reaction.

"They've never needed me"

She didn't know who Scott was trying to convince with that statement but his next statement was even worse

"They don't even care enough to believe me, they just want me dead"

Sally had no idea how to respond to that, she knew that his brothers certainly didn't want him dead but how could she convince him to give them a chance.

"Please just let them in, take a chance and talk to them"

She knew that she couldn't push the issue too much or Scott's stubborn streak would manifest itself, he could easily rival his mother when it came to being stubborn and Lucy had always been even more stubborn than Jeff.

"They don't want to know me anymore, why should I care about them?"

"They're your brothers. You'll always care about them"

"How I feel doesn't matter, I don't matter anymore"

It took everything she had to not show any response to this statement from Scott, she still had to tell him about Rebecca, she knew that in his current state of mind he'd react very badly to the news.

"All I can ask is that you'll let them see you, even if it's only to say goodbye. Just accept one visit"

All she could do now is hope that Scott would relent and allow his brothers to visit, there's nothing else that she could say on that subject and they still had to talk about Rebecca (not that he was allowed to know much).

All he knew at the moment was that Rebecca didn't want anything to do with him, even the notification that she'd called off the engagement had been given to him by the lawyers.

She took a deep breath as she readied herself for the difficult task ahead.

She still needed to tell Scott about the tragedy, that BOTH Rebecca and Callum were dead (even if she couldn't say Callum's name).

Before she do anything she suddenly felt an excruciating pain, it felt as if her entire chest was being squeezed in a giant vice.

As she collapsed she was vaguely aware of her grandson moving towards her, as fast as Scott could move the guards faster.

The last thing that Sally saw, before unconsciousness claimed her, was the look of total anguish and despair on her grandson's face as he was dragged away.